At 17 weeks, I was told there was a greater than 1 in 10 chance she had downs syndrome.
At 18 weeks I thought I was losing her.
At 20 weeks, (and 21 weeks and 23 weeks and the day before my due date) I was told she was small for her gestational age.
At 24 weeks, I was told she would come early.
A little over three weeks ago, Baby A arrived. She was 4 days late, average size for her gestational age, and she is healthy. To say we have been blessed is an understatement. To me, Baby A is living, breathing proof of the power of prayer.
I know it has been a while since any of us have posted on the blog. In my last post, way back in late March or early April, I revealed that I was 20+ weeks pregnant with Baby A, and that things were not going well. Prior to that blog post, very few people knew that I was expecting a baby. I wasn't showing and for whatever reason we simply didn't announce that I was expecting. We told even fewer people about my test results and the subsequent genetic testing. Not even Husband's immediate family or my brothers knew what we were going through. So when I finally posted everything we had been going through on the blog, it was a pretty big moment for me. But I was unprepared for people's responses.
Not many people responded to the post directly (which I subsequently took down), but the messages I got directly from my friends ranged in tone. Some friends were irked that I didn't tell them about the pregnancy sooner. Others were outraged that I risked my baby's life with an amnio and admitted that I considered the option of termination. And some friends were simply silent. My email to them went unreturned, as if it were never sent.
For each of these hurtful responses, however, Husband and I also received tens of responses of people supporting us and praying for us. I can't put into words how touched we were by each and every person who offered up a prayer, wish for strength or kind thought for our family during that time. Or how much I appreciated each and every email and text people sent just checking in to see how things were going. I especially can't express enough gratitude to the friends who walked this journey with me. For those of you who impatiently awaited amnio results with me, who texted me after each of the many, many ultrasounds to see how big baby was, and who cried with me in both sadness and joy, I am truly forever grateful. I couldn't have made it through without you.
Every time I hold our new daughter I thank God for her life, her health and for everyone who gave selflessly of themselves to make our joy possible. Baby A is a blessing, and her health an answer to prayer. Thank you to all of you whose prayers brought Baby A into our lives.
Karen
